1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a floor covering designed to protect concrete floors from extreme mechanical abuse, such as impact and abrasion. More particularly, this invention involves a floor covering which is applied in three steps:
the first layer comprises a thermosetting resin with aggregate fillers and broadcast;
the second layer is a thermosetting resin compound which serves as a bonding agent between the first layer and the next layer to be applied;
the third layer comprises a latex-based cementitious material filled with ductile iron filings.
2. The Prior Art
Concrete is subject to mechanical abuses, resulting in its eventual failure, in virtually every industrial setting. For many years, polymeric floor coatings have been used to protect concrete floors from light to moderate mechanical abuses commonly found in the industrial sector. However, when subject to severe impact and, more importantly, severely abrasive environments, the friction generated between the polymeric floor and the abrasive actor generates heat sufficient enough to exceed the Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) of the polymeric floor, resulting in failure of the floor.
Iron filled cementitious overlayments have been used by themselves for several years to provide impact and abrasion resistance. These systems alone have several drawbacks. First, cementitious materials are inherently prone to bond failure when applied over a concrete substrate. Secondly, because of the cure through the hydration of water, a 28 day waiting period prior to putting the area back into use must be made available. Thirdly, if not cured properly, cementitious overlayments are very prone to shrinkage cracks, resulting in its eventual debonding and failure.
It is the purpose of this invention to combine the two aforementioned systems, therefore overcoming their individual drawbacks and producing a highly mechanical, abuse-resistant floor coating.
Searches were conducted on the present invention and the following listed documents represent the results of these searches:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,334,555 Nagin, et al. 08/08/67 3,908,043 Evans, et al. 09/23/75 4,339,289 Lankard 07/13/82 4,363,836 Sakato, et al. 12/14/82 4,400,413 Emmons, et al. 08/23/83 4,689,268 Meader, Jr. 08/25/87 4,746,552 Tokumoto, et al. 05/24/88 4,761,313 Jacobs 08/02/88 5,049,411 Sellstrom, et al. 09/17/91 5,120,574 Cogliano, et al. 06/09/92 UK Pat. 402,811 Swindin 12/07/33 Netherlands 7,010,960 Chemie 01/26/72 ______________________________________
Article in Scientific American "Waterproofing Concrete", Oct. 2, 1915, page 291.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,552 to Tokumoto, et al. discloses a concrete finish with polyester emulsion topped with a cement layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,268 to Meader, Jr. discloses concrete coated with epoxy, bonding agent and then a polyurethane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,836 to Sakato, et al. discloses concrete coated with polyvinyl alcohol/vinyl acetate. The outer layer is cement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,413 to Emmons, et al. discloses an acrylic latex concrete.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,043 to Evans, et al. teaches an epoxy overcoat on a concrete floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,574 to Cogliano, et al. discloses use of a polymeric concrete overlay with a methacrylic primer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,555 to Nagin, et al. discloses the use of an epoxy in conjunction with aluminum oxide to act as the primary wear surface for a traffic bearing surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,289 to Lankard demonstrates a method of constructing a concrete patching material through the use of steel fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,313 to Jacobs discloses a method of applying a filled thermosetting resin flooring material to a substrate by spreading a resin-rich layer upon the substrate and thereafter broadcasting an aggregate over the resin-rich layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,411 to Sellstrom, et al. discloses a method of bonding an aggregate filled epoxy system to wet concrete.
UK Patent No. 402,811 to Swindin describes a method of road making utilizing stone, sand and cement as the aggregate and latex, water and rubber as the binders.
The Scientific American of Oct. 2, 1915 suggests the use of finely pulverized iron filings in a cement mix.
Netherlands Patent No. 7,010,960 to Chemie teaches applying multiple layers of epoxy resins with several of the layers containing aggregate such as quartz or sand for coating roads, bridges and floors.